Business Ethics: A Critical Approach: Integrating Ethics Across the Business World

Events such as Trafigura's illegal dumping of toxic waste in Sierra-Leone and BP's environmentally disastrous oil spill have highlighted ethical issues in international business at a time when business leaders, academics and business schools were reflecting on their own responsibilities following the global financial crisis. The scope and scale of the global operations of multinational businesses means that decisions taken in different parts of the world had far reaching consequences beyond the national settings where employees are located or where firms are registered and as such, an awareness of these responsibilities needs to be integrated into all levels and all subjects. Using four guiding principles a critical multi-level approach rooted in the tradition of European social theory, a comparative and international perspective, a global rather than European stand point and engaging with subject-specific issues this book aims to 'mainstream' business ethics into the work of teachers and students in business schools. This comprehensive volume leverages contributions from a range of experts to move away from business ethics being a box to be ticked to an integrated consideration across the business disciplines. With blocks of chapters in different subjects (Strategy, Human Resource Management, Organizational Behaviour, Finance and Marketing) each chapter includes an example case for further thought and/or class-based work. This impressive volume brings ethical considerations back to the heart of the business curriculum and in doing so, provides a companion for the progressive business student throughout their university career.

Patrick OSullivan is Professor and Head of Department of People, Organizations and Society at Grenoble Ecole de Management, France. Mark Smith is Associate Professor of Human Resource Management at Grenoble Ecole de Management, France. Mark Esposito is Associate Professor of Organizational Behaviour and Leadership at Grenoble Ecole de Management, France.